Marvel Reveals New, Black Captain America on ‘The Colbert Report’

Stephen Colbert loves comic books, and has had Marvel Comics’ Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada on the show before. So when it came time to announce that someone new would be taking over the mantle of Captain America in the Marvel Universe, where better for Quesada to do it?

After all, Colbert has Captain America’s shield hanging in his studio. He’s been ready to defend freedom and punch Hitler in the face for years. Alas, Quesada broke his heart. It won’t be him.

While Colbert won’t be putting on the costume, one of Captain America’s long-time friends and allies will. In the Marvel Comics Universe, Steve Rogers has lost the super soldier serum that kept him young and gave him his super strength. As a result, he rapidly aged 65 years, rendering him incapable of continuing.

As a result, Samuel Wilson will be stepping up. Since 1969, Wilson has flown the skies as the Falcon, oft-times allying with Captain America in his quest for justice. Widely considered to be the first African-American superhero in mainstream comics, Wilson will take over the title role in the October-launching series, “All-New Captain America.”

While this continuity change only impacts the Marvel Comics Universe, that doesn’t mean fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe should dismiss the possibility outright. After all, most of the ideas in the film franchise have come from the printed page.

Anthony Mackie portrayed the Falcon in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” bonding with Steve Rogers. He could perhaps take on the role some day.

Of course, comic fans also know that there’s yet another character in that film who has also carried the shield as Captain America. In other words, who wears the mask may be less important than the symbol the mask represents. So fans should prepare themselves for someone else other than Chris Evans as Captain America.

That said, Steve Rogers always seems to find a way to come back and take back the name he made back in World War II. If death couldn’t stop him, why would rapid aging?

With Falcon stepping up as the new Captain America, though, there was another opening in the Marvel Universe. After breaking Colbert’s heart by not declaring him the new Cap, Quesada threw him a bone and considered the idea of Colbert as the Falcon. He even commissioned artist Kristofer Anka to draw what Colbert would look like in the costume.